Our form has been better at home than away - but we welcome the champions-elect this weekend.

Manchester City are flying. They are the most exciting team I’ve seen in the Premier League and when they click they are easy on the eye.

I’ve seen City in the flesh a few times this season and how they play football is a joy to watch.

But I’ve also watched them against Wigan and other teams where they have struggled to get the result and that has been because the other side has been positive, had a go at them and asked them questions.

When I played at Rangers we used to dominate possession in most games and so a lot opposition sides sat back because they didn’t want to be embarrassed. They didn’t want to be 3-0 down at half-time, they just wanted to try and hang in there in the hope of getting – and then taking – their chance.

But every so often we got surprise when a team would face us with a ‘nothing to lose’ mentality so tried to get at us.

It would be a brave way for Everton to go about things on Saturday because if City are on fire then they can ping the ball around you and make you look daft.

He’s done well since he arrived in January and that could be our best outlet at Goodison but we need to get players in the box and ask questions.

When we beat them 4-0 at Goodison last year we were difficult to break down but were proactive going forward. This City team are not used to running backwards, they are not used to having teams go at them.

We’re at home, we’re safe and so my message to the players would be to go and express yourself and test your ability against the best team in the country.

Sam Allardyce will have his own style.

He will always set out his team in a pragmatic way and is known for, what you might call ‘one game wonders’ where he will get a result against the odds.

Read More

And so is this the game where he will get a few more Everton fans on his side or has he one eye on the derby?

We know Sam doesn’t have the fans on his side at the moment and so he needs big performances in the next two games and playing in a negative way is not going to win those fans over.

So while we’re safe this is an opportunity for him to try something new.

Knowing Sam, I don’t see him changing his approach, as much as I would like him to.

I fear he will play it safe, try and make it difficult in the final third and look to use the pace upfront and counter-attack City.

The fans are not turning up to Goodison on Saturday hoping their side will sit back and run that risk of conceding goal after goal

Jordan deserves to be first Pick

Watching the England game on Friday it was nice to see Jordan Pickford be first pick and for him to get his opportunity in order to show the manager what he is capable of.

We, at Everton, know what he is capable of but he’s had a difficult couple of years in terms of letting so many goals in.

The concern was that it would prevent Gareth Southgate giving him the chance.

But on Friday night, with a strong back four in front of him, he looked very composed, he didn’t look fazed at all and every time the ball came into the box he made a decision.

England's Jordan Pickford saves a shot (Image: Nick Potts/PA Wire)

Every time the ball went into the area, I never panicked, because I was confident he would grab it well. He also looked like he was organising his defence, shouting and screaming to his players.

He’s done himself a world of good which is credit to the boy because after the couple of years he’s had, and the amount of goals he’s conceded, he could have been mentally scarred, but he is showing everybody that he is ready for the international stage.

Jordan had a difficult spell a couple of weeks ago when he got caught on his line at Stoke, but at least he made a decision.

I remember the FA Cup semi-final a few years ago with Tim Howard when Luis Suarez went round him – you have got to make the forward make a decision and that is what Jordan does.

Video Loading

Video Unavailable

Click to playTap to play

The video will start in 8Cancel

Play now

I was pleased for him on Friday, he looked like he’d been there for a while and fingers crossed he will be No.1.

He’s probably close to Jack Butland and the only difference between Jordan and Joe Hart is that Joe has played in big tournaments, but he’s not won anything.

Joe is a great fella and he’s had a great run of things but at the end of the day it’s time to bring the new blood in and that’s all that Jordan is missing, the experience and having a run of games.

Hart is not going to get any better so that opportunity has to be given.

My only criticism of his form with Everton this season has been his decision-making with the ball because he sees what normal goalkeepers can’t see. He can ping the ball 30-40 yards, he can throw it 20 yards and he’s tries to be positive and get us on the counter-attack.

Joe Hart of England in discussion with Jordan Pickford of England prior to the international friendly match between Netherlands and England.

That is a great way of thinking but sometimes he just needs to calm it down. That level of game management will come with time.

He’s trying to be positive but it can sometimes work against him.

Don’t let grassroots football die

A new petition asking for government intervention to help save grassroots football has been launched.

Kenny Saunders is looking for signatures to help get the debate into parliament.

The petition is calling for the government to impose a 5% levy on the Premier League’s TV deal and for that money to be invested into the grassroots game.